Chapter 6: Gathering of masters

In the aftermath of the intense battle, five powerful Knight Magus appeared before Renji, Charles, and Noel. Noel, with a solemn expression, spoke first,

"The battle is over. What brings the five Grand Masters here?"

Johan, a muscular man among the group, replied,

"Your battle was impressive. We didn't lend a hand because we all knew you were capable of saving your brother and Renji."

Glen, a pink-haired girl, playfully chimed in,

"It's unfair, Noel! You promised to treat me to milk tea tonight!"

Another member named Mitch, the leader of the five, inquired about Renji's condition. Charles quickly responded,

"Renji was badly wounded by Aneteron."

However, Mitch corrected him, saying,

"You've got it all wrong. The wounds he received weren't caused by Aneteron."

Confused, Charles questioned,

"What do you mean? I saw what happened; I was there."

Noel interrupted the conversation, knocking Charles out with a swift punch to the stomach. Mitch then ordered all the knights to return to headquarters.

(Three days later)

Charles woke up in his bed, feeling furious and determined to seek payback from Noel. He hurriedly ran through the hallways and eventually found Renji standing shirtless on the terrace, wearing pajamas.

Charles, relieved to see Renji awake, approached him with concern,

"Renji, oh, I'm glad you're awake! Have you recovered from your injuries?"

Renji smiled faintly,

"Thanks to Noel and the Grand Masters' healing magic, I'm feeling much better now. But Charles, there's something you need to know about what happened during the battle."

As Renji began to unfold the truth to Charles, the memories of the battle with Aneteron resurfaced.

(Flashback)

During the intense fight against Aneteron, Renji found himself nearing his limits, his anima mundi depleting rapidly. Aneteron taunted him,

"Your limits are what make you human! Come on, unleash the Eredar, the Primordial Demon that lives inside you!"

Renji's response was resolute,

"I refuse to use the Demon that has taken the lives of innocent people. I would rather die than submit to its will."

The battle raged on, swords clashing relentlessly until Aneteron cast a high-tier spell, binding Renji and using

"Unseal Magic: Spatial Hand"

to insert his hand inside Renji, intending to awaken the Eredar within him.

As the tip of Aneteron's fingers reached the domain where the Eredar slumbered, fear gripped him like never before. The sheer power of the awakening Eredar was terrifying, and he hesitated for a moment.

As the Eredar's power surged within Renji, threatening to consume him entirely, even Aneteron couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret for witnessing the immense force at play.

Renji fought desperately against the Eredar's influence, refusing to succumb to its dark desires. He tightly gripped Aneteron's arm, his face contorted in pain and fury. Blood trickled from every part of his body, and with a raging scream, he bellowed,

"Damnit all!!!"

Aneteron was horrified by the sight before him. Realizing the danger of the Eredar's awakening, he quickly withdrew his hands from Renji's body. Renji, now unconscious, began to collapse, but before he could hit the ground, Aneteron caught him by the neck, his body badly injured and covered in blood.

It was at that very moment that Charles entered the scene.

Renji explained to Charles that it wasn't Aneteron who inflicted the damage upon him, but rather it was the Eredar, the malevolent force residing within him. Charles was taken aback, wondering who or what exactly the Eredar was. Before Renji could provide further details, Mitch's interruption called their attention.

Invited to a meeting exclusive to masters and grandmasters of the knights, Charles couldn't help but feel surprised and curious about the reason behind their invitation. Renji, experienced with ALIVARD's headquarters, had an idea of what was about to unfold. He cryptically mentioned,

"We won't be invited unless we are the main dish of their meeting. I've witnessed this before at ALIVARD headquarters."

Charles, puzzled by Renji's words, pressed for clarification, asking,

"Main dish? What do you mean by that?"

Renji offered a reassuring yet enigmatic smile.

"You'll see. Just be prepared for anything."

Renji and Charles followed Mitch through the hallway on their way to the Starlight Summit, where the meeting of masters would be held. Along the way, Mitch initiated the conversation,

"You must be wondering, Renji, how a third-world country could produce sorcerers like us."

Renji responded, intrigued,

"Yes, I've often wondered about that myself. I was sent here because Knight Magus doesn't exist in this region. What's the meaning behind it?

Mitch sighed,

"To be honest, even I don't have a clear idea as to why Alivard sent you here. They might not have been entirely truthful about the presence of sorcerers in the Philippines. This country is also abundant in producing talented individuals like you."

Renji nodded, understanding the situation better now.

"I see. In that case, it would be my honor to lend a hand in your missions."

Mitch smiled, appreciating Renji's readiness to help.

"It would be my pleasure to work with someone who came from one of the prestigious organizations in America."

Curious about Noel's encounter with Mitch, Charles asked,

"I heard you fought my younger brother, Noel. How did you manage to face him?"

mitch humbly replied,

"It's not exactly that I beat him; our battle ended in a tie, but not without causing significant casualties. You should know, Noel is incredibly powerful. He can freely use wind spells without consuming anima mundi. I am the first person who nearly defeated him, but he's also one of the few who has come closest to taking my life."

Charles was astonished to learn about Mitch's battle with his brother, realizing the extent of Noel's potential. Mitch continued, explaining that Noel possesses incredible talent and potential, having become a master at such a young age and now standing as one of the grandmasters in our organization.

Mitch, Renji, and Charles entered the meeting hall, which had the appearance of a dome. The seating was divided in half: one side filled with masters and the other with grandmasters. The top layer of seats surrounding the entire hall was reserved for the elders. Taking his seat at the front, Mitch was considered one of the supreme grandmasters. Renji and Charles stood in the center of the hall, feeling as if they were on trial, as the meeting began.

Mitch addressed Renji, inquiring about the temporary emergence of the Eredar. Renji detailed everything he knew, and the committee seemed convinced by his account. Turning to Charles, Mitch posed a question,

"You must be wondering why you've been summoned here to the Starlight Summit."

Mitch proceeded to explain,

"You have been summoned because we are entrusting both you and Renji with a significant task—to guide the new students who have passed the preliminary exam."

Renji raised an eyebrow, expressing his curiosity,

"It seems odd. Why would we be tasked with guiding and teaching these students when we ourselves have not yet reached the rank of masters?"

Mitch offered a reassuring response,

"As you can see, the undead are advancing their army waves towards Makati City. All masters and grandmasters are being mobilized to join the upcoming battle within the next week. With most of us engaged in the battle, there will be no one left to instruct these young sorcerers. However, you're not alone in this responsibility. There are numerous elite sorcerers who will also be guiding them. So, rest assured."

Mitch's tone grew serious,

"Additionally, we will continue our research and investigation into the emergence of the Eredar. With that, I declare this meeting closed."

Mitch led Renji and Charles towards the classroom where they would be teaching. As they opened the door to exit the meeting hall, their attention was drawn to a dark, handsome young man with a cold expression standing in the hallway. Despite their curiosity, Mitch seemed unfazed, prompting them to continue on their way to the classroom. Mitch stepped inside first, greeting the new students with warmth and congratulating them on passing their preliminary exams. He informed the students that the masters and grandmasters would not be teaching them for the next few months and introduced Renji and Charles as their new instructors.

Walking into the classroom, Renji and Charles were met with stunned expressions from the students. However, the shock was mutual, as Renji and Charles were surprised to see two familiar faces among the students—Risttle and Oliver. The unexpected reunion at a university offering a confidential course left all four of them in disbelief. The intricate web of fate had brought them together once again, not as allies in battle, but as mentors in the realm of magic.